Conveyer chain



June 27, 1933. C)` M LUND 1,915,939

GONVEYER CHAIN Filed Jan.4 7,1932 y Patented .lune 27,v 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT' oFFlcr..

OSCAR H. LUND, Ol' CICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNO TO SAMUEL OLSON COMPANY, INC., l

OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF AILLINOIS y QONVEYR' CHAIN i. Application led January 7, 1932. Serial No. 585,828.

b This invention relates to conizeyer chain construction and it is especially concerned with that type of chain which is employed in drag conveyers and the like, andfw operated in guides which may include laterally curved sections requiring the chain to be flexible in its lane of travel. One object of the invention is to provide a cheap and simple construction in which the links may be manufactured as castings and will require little or no machining or other finishling. Another object is to provide a chain composed of elements all exactly alike, which may be assembled or connected together manually without the use of tools and without securing means other than those embodied integrally in the parts themselves. The invention consists of certain features of the chain link and or the combination of such links in the chain as herein shown and described, and as indicated by the claims.

ln the drawing: Figure l is a top plan view oi three links of a chain embodying this invention showing the links coupled together and showing two of them disposed out ot aliment as ermitted by the special features of this design. Figure 2 is a bottom plan view of three links of a chain embodying this invention, and 3o includes a portion of a fourth link indicated in a position ready for assembly with its adjacent link. 4

Figure 8 is a side elevation of several links lof the chain disposed in the position they would assume in traversing a drive sprocket, and with certain arts shown in section.

Figure 4 is a etail section taken as in-` dicated at line 444 on Figure 3. Fi re 5 is an end elevation of the end of the link at which-the pivot post islocated. y Figure 6' is an end elevation showing the -end of the link which includes the crosswbarand connecting yoke portion.`

The type of chain to which this invention is directed is that commonly employed in dragconveyers or assembly line conveyors, being vusually associated with guideways which, at least, control the direction o travel ofthe load, and usually serve to con nethe chain laterally in its movement. V Particularly ich is -tically so as to maintain the yoke of'each link where the conveyer travels along a floor, or operates over a considerable distance in a factory or warehouse for conveying articles or carrier boxes of articles from one point to another, it is` desirable to have it operate otherwise than in a straight line, serving as a. substitute for ,a tram or industrial rallway, and turning corners or swinging out of alignment to travel past fixedimachines or other obstructions, as requirements may dictate. This involves making the chain with joints which permit lateral articulation as well as the usual pivotal'action in a vertical plane which occurs when the chain traverses the driving sprocket or guide pulley.

To permit of this action each of the links, 1, 1s engaged with the next adjacent link by means of an integra pivot post,2, of approximately semi-circ ar cross-section. The y link itself is shown as of somewhat box-like yN formation including/ a web or wall, 3, with lateral flanges, 4, 4, and with end wall sections, 5, 5, which are lower than the anges, 4, 4, and between which the post, 2, stands. At the opposite end the partial end anges, 6, 6, are united by a yoke, 7, having a rounded inner contour at 7, which ts t he curvature of the inner face, 2, of the post, 2, on the next adacent link. Thus the engagement of the yo c, 7, ofone link with the post, 2,0f the next link, constitutes the pivotal connection which permits lateral swinging movement of any link with respect to the next link in the chain. The concave arch, 7, ofthe yoke, 7, is convexly curved in vertical section so as to facilitate rolling or pivotal action of this surface upon the face of the post, 2, when the chain traverses .a vertically curved path, as in rounding asprocket, as indicated in Figure 3. vAt th'e outer end the yoke, 7, carries a cross bar integrally-formed, and having end portions, 8, 8, which engage in the longitudinal slots, 9, of the side anges, 4, when the links are assembled, and check said links verin operative relation to the pivot post, 2, ofv the adjacent link.; Figure 2-indicates how n simply-thc chain is assembled by merel enterin the ends, 8, 8, of the cross bar o one `link o liquely between the side flanges 4, 4, of 1 0.

the next t l.; and then swinging the rst l L; about its longitudinal axis in the direction of the arrows, A A, til the cross bar stands directly across the second links with its ends, 8, 8, in the slots, 9. During this o eration the hrst link stands with its longitu inal airis at 'right angles to that of the second link; and with the parts still in this relation the tirst link is slid lengthwise until its yoke, 7, strikes the post, 2. lt is then swung down into allgnrnent with the second link, and the operation is re cated for adding another link, and then another, until a chain of the desired len has been made upu t n To permit lateral articulation 'el the links in traversing horizontally curved paths, the web, 3, oil each link is formed with a convex v outline at each end; as shown in Figure l,

this consists et tvvo straight portions, 3 which meet in an apen at 3b at the middle ci the Width ot the link, and this apen, 3b, is located substantially on the axis et the curved face ci the ost, 2, so that the points, 3, oi adjacent 'lin remain substantiall i contact during lthe limited rotation otone link upon the post ol the other, which'is permitted by the clearance angle formed between the slanted end outlines, 3B, ol adjacent links. To ermit the vertical articulation required ot t`.e links as they traverse a sprocket or guide pulley, as indicated in l'1`igure 3, the

'lower portions of one end ol each side dange,

d, is rounded ed as shown at da. The slots, L9, are provided with extra length at 9B to permit `free swinging movement of the end portions, 8, oli the cross bars when the links pivot about their connecting posts, Il, and, preierably, the extreme ends of the slots, 9,. are beveled or charniered at 9b in accordance with the inclined osition `which the parts, 8, assume when t e links are angularly disposed with respect to each other. Preferably, the web or top Wall, 3, oi each link is made. dat so as to adapt it to serve as a support, it desired for the material or containers to be propelled by the chain; this dat surface is also convenient tor locating holes to be drilled and tapped at an convenient point in thearea of the web, 3, ,i hooks, lugs or tlights are to be attached tothe chain links. As seen in lli.

ure 3, the post member, 2, 'oil each link is reinforced by an clon ated illet, 2c, by which its rounded vertical tace is merged into the under surface of the web, 3. ln addition to the end Wallportions, 5, 5, which connect the danges, t, with the ost, tend to carry some of the strain to the anges When the chain is subjected to tension.

While thereis shown and described herein certain specific structure embodying the invention, 1t vvillbe manifest to those skilled in the art that various modifications and rearrangements of the arts may be made Without departing from t e spirit and the scope of the invention, and that the same is not limited noia-aaa to the I describe ,except in so tar as indicated by the appendedclaims.

ll claim:

l. A chain link for the purpose indicated comprising a web with side danges, said danges being longitudinally slotted, and the link having an extension stone end formed with laterally projecting trunnion-like portions to engage the slots of the next adjacent link, said extension including a yoke with a curved inwardly-facing surface, and the opposite end of the link having an integrally formed pivot post disposed between the side flanges with'nlearance between said post and the flanges to accommodate portions of the yoke ol a next adjacent link when interconnected vvith the hrst by engagement with said post.

2. A chain liiik for the purpose indicated y comprising a web with side danges, said danges being longitudinally slotted, and the link having an extension at one end termed vvith laterally projecting trunion-like portions to engage the slots of the nent adjacent link, said extension including a yoke with a curved inwardly lacing surface, and the opposite end ci the link having an integrally ormedpivot post disposed between the side danges, said trunnion-like portions being dimensioned for insertion diagonally between the opposite flanges of a similar link in assembling said links into a chain, `whereby twisting the link trom said diagonal position engages said trunnions in the slots of the other link and rocking the link about said trunnions swings the curved face of theV yoke linto position against the pivot post of said other link.

3. A chain link for the purpose indicated comprising parallel longitudinally extended side Webs and opposite ends joining the side Webs, said side Webs having similar longitudinally extending slots, one end havin an enteriorly extending yoke terminating in a cross head termin trunnions adapted toengage the slots of t e next adjacent similarly termed link in the chain at that end, the opposite end comprising an integralA pivot post projecting' transversely with respect to the cross hea ci the rst mentioned end` between the clearance :lor accommodating the yoke of the next adjacent identical link of the chain at said opposite end.

d. The construction dedned in claim 3, the link opening bounded by said side webs and cross-connecting ends, and the 'slots in said side webs bein dimensioned relatively to said cross head an trunnion terminals thereof for insertion ofi the cross head diagonal] in said opening oi the next similar linkfan for entrance of the trunnions in the slots by turning the cross heads into transverse position.- Y i3@ oscila n'. nenn.

articular form herein shown and planes of the. side Webs, with 

